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Rhyl will be left wondering how they failed to capture their first win of the season after a spirited Holywell performance rescued a point at the end of the game for the hosts.

The Lilywhites started the more positively with Tom Rowlands relishing a return to one of his former clubs and his direct approach created difficulties for the Holywell defence. In particular a good run created an early free kick whilst he came close to scoring in the 7th minute after a fine run.

After the failure a week ago to make possession count it looked like the Lilywhites had learnt their lesson when they took the lead in the 21st minute. A positive run down the Rhyl right for Rowlands enabled him to place a quality cross into the Holywell box and Mark Connolly was on hand to blast home to score his second goal of the season.

With the lead the visitor’s confidence grew and they continued to create the majority of the chances. Mark Connolly was involved in some of the opportunities as good movement in the box created an opening only for the shot to go wide in the 37th minute and then a minute later a late run to the near post saw Connolly slide in but the ball skied over the goal from close range as he was unable to make the right contact.

As half time approached, ex Lilywhite Steve Lewis had a chance to score as he broke through the Rhyl defence but Rory Crowther saved well to smother the chance. With a minute to go in the half Paul Williams connected perfectly for a long range shot but Crowther saw the shot early and was able to make a spectacular save. Then moments later a loose ball from Lewis set up a Rhyl break and Alex Titchiner flew down the right flank and in the absence of support shot hard past Joe Griffith at his near post to put the visitors 2-0 up on the stroke of half time.

The second half saw a more determined performance for Holywell and within 2 minutes referee John Jones judged hand ball when the ball struck Alex Jones inside the box. Steve Lewis stepped forward and he placed the ball to his right but once again Rory Crowther was able to match the penalty takers effort as he dived low to make the save. Holywell continued to create chances and Rhyl appeared to begin to rely on breaks to seek a third.

The spell of play around the hour mark had an impression on the match. In the 59th minute Rhyl had a strong claim for a penalty as Titchiner broke through and as he turned inside to shoot appeared to be pushed to the ground. However the referee waved play on and a minute later Holywell were back in the match. Matty Kendrick was able to turn and fire the ball home past Crowther to make the score 1-2. Within seconds of the restart Rhyl were back in possession and as Alex Jones was scythed down by a Holywell defender, the ball fell to Alex Titchiner whose shot went over the bar. The injury for Jones saw him required to be substituted. Then in the 66th minute a robust challenge on Sam Downey by Matty Harvey saw a second yellow and subsequent red for the Holywell defender.

As the game entered the last 15 minutes the game became stretched with Holywell pressing for the equaliser and Rhyl seeking to catch the hosts out on the break. Rhyl failed to make the most of these opportunities to break and almost inevitably in the 88th minute Steve Lewis was on hand to grab the equaliser. Lewis was in the right position to glance a header past Crowther and to bring the Wellmen level.

Sub Jack Hoult had the last real chance of the game in the 90th minute but his fine shot was saved by Griffith and the 10 men of Holywell had managed to salvage a point to punish the Lilywhites failure to convert their first half opportunities.

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The Huws Gray Alliance(sponsorship-related name for the Cymru Alliance League) is a football league and forms the second level of the Welsh football league system in north and central Wales. If the team which finishes top of the Huws Gray Alliance holds a Domestic Licence, it may apply for promotion to the Welsh Premier League and is replaced by one of the bottom two teams in the Welsh Premier League. If the Huws Gray Alliance champions do not hold a Domestic Licence, then the team which finished second, if in possession of a Domestic Licence, may be promoted instead